Bill Howell's big match verdict on the Premier League clash between Wolves and Liverpool

NO DEADLINE surprises and nine Premier League games without a win has left Wolves staring at the dreaded drop.

And the knives came out again for Mick McCarthy.

It’s 20 games since his side kept a clean sheet and the fact that they have conceded two or more goals in each of their last five matches at home is the stuff that keeps kids awake at night and adults reaching for the bottle.

Wolves battled and snarled for 45 minutes and three-times even sniffed an opening goal but David Edwards, Steven Fletcher and Michael Kightly were thwarted.

In the dying moments substitute Sylvan Ebanks-Blake rattled the post with a cracker from 30 yards but Wolves had caved in.

“We’ve had a shot on goal,” mocked the South Bank. They arrived in hope and left as an angry mob, booing and heckling: “What a load of rubbish”.

All this in front of Albion boss Roy Hodgson and QPR boss Mark Hughes who will have not seen much to frighten them as the 31-year wait for a home win over Liverpool went on.

Kenny Dalglish just loves Molineux. Liverpool’s 3-0 win here last season was his first triumph since his return as their manager.

A difficult year on from his £35 million move from Newcastle and all of a sudden life looks rosier for Andy Carroll.

Wolves survived an incredible let-off in the third minute when Craig Bellamy’s cross was flicked into the six yard box by Carroll. Roger Johnson went to ground as Dirk Kuyt’s close-range toe-poke was blocked by Wayne Hennessey then bobbled wide. Glen Johnson fell in the box, looking for a penalty under the faintest of touches from Emmanuel Frimpong. Referee Anthony Taylor saw nothing.

Wolves got themselves a foothold in the game and came within a fine Pepe Reina save of taking a 12th minute lead.

Kightly’s diagonal ball found Edwards in space six yards out but his first time shot was too close to the Spaniard.

Jordan Henderson’s sublime low through-ball sliced the Wolves defence in two and presented danger man Bellamy with a half-chance that he could only prod wide. Bellamy was on a one-man mission to gun down Wolves and then tried his luck with a speculative 30 yard drive that tested Hennessey.

Hennessey blocked a goalbound Daniel Agger header with his legs on the line as the defender connected sweetly with Bellamy’s corner. Jose Enrique blasted straight back into the danger zone but league debutant Eggert Jonsson blocked.

Bellamy was everywhere. And he was soon in the thick of it midway inside his own half and earning a booking after upending Fletcher.

Seconds later he was charging to the halfway line and blocking a poor Christophe Berra clearance after a weak pass from Kevin Foley had put him in trouble.

Fletcher came close for Wolves with a header from Kightly’s corner after a giant leap inside the box. Kuyt went for glory with a trusty swing of his right boot from outside the box after a fine headed knock-down from Carroll. It was always rising over the crossbar.

Liverpool thought they had earned a penalty when Charlie Adam went tumbling, again under Frimpong’s challenge, as he rushed onto Bellamy’s cut-back. Replays were inconclusive.

Twice Hennessey then denied Bellamy, first from the free-kick as he dived to catch a nicely-flighted curler. Then from a low diagonal shot inside the box when the Welshman perhaps, for once, could have done better.

Those missed chances almost came back to bite Liverpool when, out of nothing, Kightly – who had been quiet – played a one-two with Fletcher and hit a first time 20-yard shot that flew a whisker wide.

Carroll wasted a chance from close range at the end of the half when Stephen Ward blocked his volley.

And as the whistle brought an end to a lively half Henderson forced Hennessey into another smart save with a low shot to the keeper’s right.

Carroll gave Liverpool the lead eight minutes after the break when he diverted home a delicious Adam cross from the left. Jonsson had momentarily lost his man and paid a hefty price.

Bellamy put the game to bed on 61 minutes when full-back Foley and centre-back Johnson allowed the striker to stroll into acres of space. He cut inside in the box and sent a low shot into the corner.

McCarthy threw on Ebanks-Blake and Stephen Hunt for Jonsson and Kightly. But Liverpool were coasting and Adam almost volleyed a spectacular third from Kuyt’s cross.

Bellamy’s drive was deflected behind by Johnson and, with Wolves reeling, Agger almost nodded a simple goal from Martin Skrtel’s header across the box. Hennessey was again surpassing himself and produced another excellent save to thwart Kuyt. Liverpool emptied the stadium with a tremendous third goal on the break. Jose Enrique beat Frimpong to a ball just outside his own box and played a delightful diagonal ball to Kuyt. His one-two with Adam allowed the Dutchman to fire a low shot past Hennessey.